Michael Hatfield

Detection of UAV hijacking and malfunctions via variations in flight data statistics

Detection of potential hijackings of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is an important capability to have for the safety of the future airspace and prevention of loss of life and property. In this paper, we propose using basic statistical measures as a fingerprint to flight patterns that can be checked against previous flights. We generated baseline flights and then simulated hijacking scenarios to determine the extent of the feasibility of this method. Our results indicated that all of the direct hijacking scenarios were detected, but flights with control instability caused by malicious acts were not detected.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Geotechnical Monitoring of Pipelines in the Arctic

Pipelines in the Arctic must contend with a variety of geotechnical obstacles affecting their construction and long-term operation. For example, thawing permafrost leads to unstable terrain, especially on slopes and pipeline river crossings. Research funded by the US Department of Transportation is underway to investigate how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) could be used to monitor permafrost and unstable soils in order to develop a proactive decision-support system for pipeline operators. Leading this research is the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in cooperation with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The research will evaluate a variety of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to determine an optimal technology mix, and best practices for the persistent surveillance of thawing permafrost and shifting soils, thereby providing pipeline operators a broader picture of, and a means of mitigating, the geotechnical hazards that affect pipelines.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Alaskan Civil Research

In Alaska, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have garnered much attention, largely due to ongoing research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). This research has focused on a multitude of civilian applications suitable for support by the technology. UAF has long held an advantage in this competitive research by virtue of its status as a non-profit research institution, a requirement for approval by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate UAS. In addition, UAF has a long history in this field, managing airspace since the 1960’s as part of its duties as the only university-operated rocket range in the world. These factors have led many commercial entities to partner with UAF to conduct UAS research over the years.

The saber microwave-powered helicopter project and related WPT research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

This paper describes the current status of three projects at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with potential applications to Solar Power Satellites (SPS). The Semi-Autonomous BEam Rider (SABER) project is a model helicopter powered by a 1 horsepower electric motor and a rotor with a diameter of 1.15 m. It receives the power necessary to hover from a 1 kW microwave transmitter operating at 2.45 GHz. This project is intended to provide a test bed for development of Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) technology and an easily transportable demonstration of this technology. The power is received by an array of rectenna elements mounted beneath the helicopter. The ultimate goal is to integrate sensor and control subsystems onto the helicopter to measure the helicopter’s attitude and position, and allow it to autonomously hover over the incident microwave beam. A second project consists of the continued refinement of a Magnetron Directional Amplifier (MDA) to provide an efficient, high power microwave source wi...